[Federal Register: May 1, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 85)]
[Notices]
[Page 24086-24087]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01my08-68]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CA-190-07-1610]
Notice of Availability of Record of Decision for the Surprise
Resource Management Plan
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
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[[Page 24087]]
SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), the Federal Land Policy Management Act (FLPMA), and the Bureau
of Land Management (BLM), policies, the BLM announces the availability
of the Record of Decision (ROD)/Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP)
for the Surprise Field Office. The California State Director has signed
the ROD, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and makes the
Approved RMP effective immediately.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD and RMP are available upon request from
the Field Manager, Surprise Field Office, Bureau of Land Management,
602 Cressler Street Cedarville, California 96104, or via the internet
at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/prog/planning.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact Jeff
Fontana, Public Affairs Officer, Bureau of Land Management, 2950
Riverside Dr., Susanville, CA 96130, telephone (530) 257-0456, or e-
mail your request to: necarmp@ca.blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Surprise Field Office includes
approximately 1,220,644 acres in northeastern California and northwest
Nevada. The geographic area includes BLM-administered lands within the
counties of Modoc and Lassen, California, and Humboldt and Washoe,
Nevada. The Surprise RMP was developed in coordination with the Alturas
and Eagle Lake Field Office RMPs to provide a consistent framework for
managing public lands and resource uses in northeast California and
northwest Nevada.
BLM officially initiated the planning process for the Draft
Surprise Resource Management Plan (RMP) with publication of a Notice of
Intent in the Federal Register on July 22, 2003 (Volume 68, Number
140). Issues related to resource management in the Surprise planning
area were established during the scoping process consisting of public
scoping meetings, field tours, socioeconomic workshops, and
interactions with Federal, state, tribal, and county collaborators.
The RMP describes management actions to meet desired resource
conditions for vegetation communities, wildlife habitats, and cultural
and visual resources. It also outlines actions for recreation,
protection of sensitive natural and cultural resources, livestock
grazing, guidance for energy and mineral development, land tenure
adjustments, and other planning issues raised during the scoping
process. The Surprise RMP designated three Areas of Critical
Environmental Concern (ACECs): Massacre Rim ACEC (44,870 acres); Bitner
ACEC (1,921 acres); and Rahilly-Gravelly ACEC/RNA (957 acres). The
following types of resource use limitations apply to these ACECs: (1)
New rights-of-way exclusion or avoidance; (2) Visual Resource
Management Class II; (3) Certain restrictions to energy and mineral
development; and (4) Motorized travel permitted only on designated open
routes. The BLM's Draft Surprise RMP/Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) (April 2006) presented five alternatives to help the
BLM and interested parties understand the various ways of addressing
issues in the region. Upon evaluation of the alternatives and
associated impacts described in the Draft RMP/EIS and based on public
and agency comments on that document, the BLM prepared the Surprise
Proposed RMP and Final EIS which was released on June 15, 2007. The
Proposed RMP is comprised of the preferred alternative identified in
the Draft RMP/EIS with small changes as a result of comments received.
Six protest letters on the Surprise proposed RMP were received and
resolved by the BLM Director. The BLM determined that the Proposed
Action, as described in the Proposed RMP and Final EIS, best meets the
purpose and need for the project. The Governor of the State of
California in his letter September 17, 2007 stated, ``Pursuant to 43
CFR 1603-2, and after consulting with affected State and Local
agencies, the Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR) has not
found any inconsistencies with any state or local plans, policies, or
programs with regards to this [Proposed] Resource Management Plan.''
The decisions identifying designated routes of travel for motorized
vehicles are implementation decisions and are appealable to the
Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA) under 43 CFR Part 4. These
decisions are contained in Chapter 2.14.4 and shown on Map TRAVEL-1 of
the RMP. Any party adversely affected by the BLM's decision(s) to
identify, evaluate, define, delineate, and/or select specific routes as
available for motorized use within designated areas of travel as set
forth in the Surprise Resource Management Plan may appeal within 30
days of publication of this Notice of Availability. The appeal must be
filed with the Surprise Field Manager at the above listed address.
Please consult 43 CFR Part 4 for further information on the IBLA appeal
process.
Dated: December 10, 2007.
Shane Deforest,
Surprise Field Office Manager.
[FR Doc. E8-9513 Filed 4-30-08; 8:45 am]
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